Energy Apps Put Power in the Hands of Consumers

In partnership with MaRS Discovery District, the challenge is offering $50,000 to support the best new apps that use electricity data collected by smart meters. These apps will help Ontario households and businesses better understand and manage their electricity use, so they can make informed decisions about consumption and save money.

Online voting for the People's Choice award begins today and ends on Monday, Feb. 17. Visit the challenge website to watch videos about each submission before placing your vote.

Developing new apps that encourage smart electricity use is part of the government's plan to invest in people, build modern infrastructure, and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.

Quick Facts

The challenge received 30 submissions: 26 from Ontario and four from the United States. Eight of the apps were created by university and college students.

A panel of judges will review and select the apps for the other awards: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Best Student App and Best App Created Outside of Ontario.

The public can vote for the People’s Choice award from Feb. 3 to 17 for as many apps as they’d like—but no more than once for each submission.

The challenge leverages the Green Button Initiative, which is a standard for electricity data across Ontario. The initiative is providing consumers with easier access to their own electricity data and will allow them to securely share their data with mobile and web-based apps.

Quotes

“Ontario is thrilled to see such a strong response to the Energy Apps for Ontario Challenge. These innovative apps will empower Ontarians by transforming electricity data into meaningful information, so they can better understand their electricity use and manage their bills.”

“We are excited about the strong response to the Energy Apps for Ontario Challenge. Ontario’s adoption of the Green Button standard, in combination with developer events such as this challenge, creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs to build innovative energy solutions. These solutions not only give Ontario consumers more control over their energy, but also position our companies for leadership in the booming global energy IT industry.”